tea and like minded souls
by BBC-fixed
Summary: Fitz and Simmons meeting, being friends and drinking tea (and they're both autistic (mild fitzsimmons))


Humans are social creatures, they find themselves looking and longing for someone who understands them. Most of the time they don't even realise they are doing it, that they are looking for people like them. Unless the person in question doesn't fit neatly into the worlds 'ideals' in which case it's a desperate search instead of a subconscious feeling of "I could be their friend" It forms communities, clubs and groups of people lonely and wishing to be less alone.

This is how Fitz meets Jemma, they are both young, new to the country, alone and when they first saw each other, Stimming. Fitz was shaking his hand off after a handshake, Jemma was chewing her sleeve neither of them dared hope, both actions being common enough. However people, lonely people have a tendancy to find likeminded people. So Jemma introduced herself.

"Did you make that?" she asked pointing at the small remote controlled droid flying above them. immediately Fitz launched into an explanation about what the machine did and how it works, then he stopped, blushed and apologised.  
"Sorry, yeah it's mine"  
"It's amazing! Can you tell me more? You said it was a prototype?" Jemma asked genuinely interested and curious, and so Fitzsimmons was born.

They quickly became friends talking about science, then classes and then over dinner one day home. "It's strange I thought I'd miss it more" Jemma said distractedly picking at her sandwich "but there's just so much to do here!" Fitz nodded through his mouthful  
"I do miss some things, but not the place" he said after swallowing.  
"what do you miss the most?" Jemma asked  
"Baths and cold weather, you?" he said after some thought  
"My old bed and my mums tea"

"yeah this stuff is awful" he laughed pointing to his half empty cup, they share a slight smile. Under the table Fitzs hand flapped and Jemmas toes wiggled.

The next week Fitz bought a teapot at a thrift shop, he presented it to her like he would a new design for his droid. She reacted by hugging him, then she jumped back and flushed said "Sorry! I should have asked if I could hug you!" she rushed out.  
"It's okay..." he paused turning a idea around in his mind "but we should come up with a system so we know when hugging isn't okay"  
Her face lit up and she wiggled a little"that's a great idea!" Then she held her hand out to him, so he could hold it if he wanted to. The teapot rattled a little as he bounced up onto his toes before putting his free into hers. "Lets go see if we can find some tea"

They left the teapot in Fitz's room and left the campus to a quiet store to look for tea. They eventually found the right aisle and stood hand in hand in front of the choices "which type do you like?" he asked as he searched for something familiar.  
"Oh!" Jemma Squeaked pointing "look they have strawberry tea! My Nanna made it for me when I was a kid" So a box of it was put into their basket along with some normal tea since Fitz didn't know if he would like it.

Then they grabbed some chocolate and headed to the checkout where they fumbled over paying together. Eventually Jemma paid it all, telling him he could pay back later. "I hate checkouts" she admitted once they got outside "I always worry I'll do something wrong" Fitz gave her the owed money  
"I think you did pretty good!" he said as they headed back to campus.  
"Thank you" she said happily "I think we should save the strawberry for another night" she said jumping topics like she frequently did"

"That sounds good"

"This is really good" Jemma sighed over her cup, sitting in Fitz's room both of them cross legged on his bed. Swallowing his chocolate he nodded "I forgot how much I like tea" then glancing away "would you like to watch something?"  
"what do you have?" Jemma asked, watching as he got up to look. In the end they settled on Star Trek, sitting beside each other drinking tea with their knees touching and discussing Star Trek science.

The next time Jemma made them some of the strawberry tea, watching Fitz take a sip. "Ugh" he muttered sticking his tongue out and screwing his face up. She couldn't help but giggle, but she took away the tea and made him some hot chocolate instead. He already had Star Trek set up when she came back and handed him his cup. Settling in beside him she picked up her own tea as the opening credits played "I love this episode!" she commented pulling the blanket with her toes.  
"I know" he replied smiling.

It became a routine after that, they'd watch something together drinking tea. Sometimes they'd cuddle, sometimes they'd sit with just their arms touching or holding hands and sometimes they wouldn't touch at all, it depended on their moods. If one of them had a bad day the other one would put on their favourite for them.

Sometimes they would do homework together, sitting quietly and peacefully. It was one of those nights when it got addressed, Jemma was doing homework making small noises. "Are you okay Jemma?" Fitz asked looking up from his book.  
"It's just this question, I can't figure out what they are asking" her forehead wrinkled and she shifted clenching her fists and biting her lip.  
"Come on Jemma, we need a break" he said gently.

She didn't argue, just followed him outside, after walking for a bit they sat down on a area of grass looking at the stars. Breathing in deeply she felt slightly better "thank you, I needed a break"  
"I know, you were making your 'I'm frustrated' noises" he replied not looking away from the constellation he was tracing. Frowning she turned to look at him  
"You can tell my noises apart?"  
"yeah" he replied finally turning to her "your happy noises and your frustrated noises are very different"  
"oh" she turned back to the stars "no one has figured that out before"

"then no one paid enough attention" he replied feeling angry at the world.  
"They sort of stopped trying after I got diagnosed" Jemma said curling her legs in "once they knew I was autistic they just put everything they didn't understand down to that" her voice was quiet and subdued nothing like her normal voice. After a few minutes thinking Fitz spoke up  
"It was the opposite for me" he kept looking up "they didn't really care until they found out why I am the way. Then they wanted to know why I did everything"

He put his hand out as an invitation that Jemma took, placing her hand in his "You bounce on your toes when you're excited" she said after some time.  
"And you wiggle your toes" he replied tightening his grip of her hand  
"It's nice to be understood"  
"yeah"

For passing their tests Fitz got Jemma a chewable pen top "so you can stop biting your sleeve" She took him to a nearby ice rink at it's slowest time  
"you said you missed the cold" Later that night they agreed they wanted to stay together once school finished, and that they would apply for the same assignments.

"Your teapot has seen better days Fitz, why don't you get a new one?" Coulson asked years later as Fitz poured.  
"Memories" Fitz replied putting a strawberry tea bag into Jemmas mug and flapping his free hand.


End file.
